Wide Receiver – SMU

6’1, 203 lbs

Strengths

Coming out of SMU, Rashee Rice is a top wide receiver in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft. He has good release and doesn’t need many steps in order to achieve top speed from a cold start. That is something that is needed in order to develop a well-rounded route tree. He does well in selling fakes to his defenders, sinking his hips, and using deception to hide his intended direction well against the man in coverage.

Additionally, Rice does well settling into windows in zone coverage. He is physical against the press and doesn’t get knocked off his route easily. Finally, he uses full extension on his reception attempts, high-pointing the ball well.

Weaknesses

Rice doesn’t have the best high catch rate at just 60%. He does have some concentration drops which can hinder opportunities at the next level. His run after the catch shows him space defenders well to extend plays but won’t break many tackles after contact. Rice won’t test as a burner at the next level which will drop him some in the testing portion of the draft process. We’ll see exactly where his measurements and numbers come in at the upcoming NFL Combine in Indianapolis. 

NFL Fit and Draft Capital

Rice has played over 82% of his snaps at the boundary per PFF. He makes many of his plays down the field. With hand consistency and athleticism both not being a strong suit, look for Rice to fall in the perception of both the NFL and the dynasty fantasy football community. He is not an instant starter in the NFL and is more likely to be given significant snaps until the end of his rookie season or later.  At the moment, I see Rice as a 3rd or 4th round pick in your upcoming dynasty rookie drafts, as other players have a chance to flash sooner. As we know in fantasy, opportunity is king.

As for the NFL, Rice would need an offense that would utilize him in a similar fashion. That would be with downfield perimeter work, yet also not have him be the primary target. He might be better suited as a WR2 in the NFL.

Teams like Chicago, Carolina, New York Giants, Dallas, and Seattle are all decent options. All could be environments where he could hone his craft and develop, without having to be thrust into a target-heavy environment early on. He will be a middle to late Day 3 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

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